The Morning after
by Roofran411
Summary: Kate and Piers have fought their way through their wedding to their ecstatic wedding night. Surely this must mean an end to the rows, bickering and tantrums? And where does Harry fit in.


The title says it all, as Petruchio sees it.

My Thanks as ever to William Shakespeare and Sally Wainwright.

The Morning After

"Gentlemen do not discuss ladies or their personal history," she said coolly "And I am disappointed in you that you found it necessary to do so."

I stared at her horrified that I had offended her about something so precious and wonderful and not wanting the matter to go any further, she looked as if she could freeze for my balls off, I decided I would sweeten her up a bit.

"I'll make us some breakfast, shall I?" And got out of bed pretty damn smartish. Shit! My shorts were around the other side of the bed. I would have to walk around naked to get them. While I have no inhibitions about nudity, nobody likes looking a fool, and I had the distinct impression that I might be looking one now. She was curled up in bed but I didn't think she was watching me. I grabbed some things and mumbled that I was going to have a quick shower and then get breakfast. She said nothing.

In the shower, I blew a sigh of relief, and then smiled to myself. It _had_ been a wonderful night, _she_ had been wonderful. I adored her. Quick shower, breakfast and then...**God**, Harry! Harry was here. I had asked him... I had been drunk and upset and angry with Kate ...furious! But most of all I was pissed out of my mind and wanted to hit back...and I had asked him out here. _On our honeymoon_.

And he had only arrived yesterday evening.

_God_

What the bloody hell was I _thinking_ about?

How was I going to get rid of him?

Finishing my shower, I grabbed some clothes and got dressed. I found one shoe in the bedroom and rummaged around, swearing, looking for the other.

"What are you looking for?" she asked.

"I can't find my sodding shoe." I said.

"I think you will find it around here under my dress." and so it was. I sat on the bed to put them on and she said, "About last night," still a bit coldly.

"Mmmm?"

"It wasn't spectacular."

I looked up and stared at her; it was as though she had punched me in the guts.

"No?" I said in a guarded tone.

"No" she said quite emphatically. "No, it wasn't." She stared back at me with raised eyebrows. "It was shooting stars, and fireworks and crashing waves and Carmina Burana, the Hallelujah chorus and the 1812 overture thrown in as well"

She was laughing and I grabbed her and kissed her hard.

"Shall I get back in?"

"What about my breakfast? I'll never have any if you get back in."

I looked at her, my Kate.

"I love you, Lady Charlbury."

"And I love you, Lord Charlbury."

"I'll get us breakfast." And I kissed her again gently, tenderly. My love, my dearest little love.

I went down stairs feeling quite wonderful. I found I was whistling the chorus from Carmina Burana.

Harry was sitting at the kitchen table, looking down in the mouth. I decided not to say anything about going home yet. Signora Wotsit was banging about giving me black looks. I got out a tray and was looking for china and things; she slapped them down in front of me.

I put the kettle on, bread in the toaster, and she snarled something.

"Weeza seeoaruh." I looked at her totally bemused, and nodded. She glared and said "Weez da seeoaraa." and banged the tray, then pointed to the china. Yes, YES I nodded, still not knowing what the hell she was talking about. She pointed to first one then the other cup.

"Weear eez la Seen your ahh?"

The penny dropped.

"OHHH !" I said, nodding and pointed upwards. "Humph" was her reply.

"What's up with her?" I muttered to Harry.

"She thinks you've murdered Katherine."

"Huh? What? **What**? Why should she...?"

"You arrived early hours on Sunday very drunk, very angry, very unpleasant, and she hasn't seen Katherine since."

I laughed, "Hah! Shagged her to death more like or even vice versa."

Harry looked up "Oh, like that was it?"

I stifled a grin. "I have it on very good authority that gentlemen don't discuss ladies in that way"

"Katherine tell you that, eh?"

I had everything now, made the tea and was about to go back upstairs when Harry said, "I think I will try and get a flight home today." I stopped.

"Kate says something to you?" I asked.

"Eh? Oh no! No, I've been thinking. You and Katherine have sorted things out now and it _is_ your honeymoon ...and ... well there's no point in me going on hiding from Bianca here. I havegot a business to run. I have neglected my other clients for years, running after Bianca. Well, I suppose I will have to build things up again. She's not going to want me hanging about. I expect she'll dump me as her manager but she was my main client and my main source of income, so I should try and be prepared for it.

"Don't feel you have to go." I said feeling hypocritical and as guilty as hell, and at the same time cheering inside.

"Nah it's best."

Kate sat up when I went in. I put the tray on the bed and sat beside her. She had showered and brushed her hair.

Shame! I rather liked the sluttish wanton look, it did things for me.

While we were having breakfast, I told her about Harry.

She was emphatic that Bianca would not leave Harry's agency.

"She's too smart; she knows he's good at his job regardless of their relationship."

She put the last bit of toast in her mouth and the apricot jam trickled down her chin. She wiped it with her fingers and waved them at me.

"Did you bring up any napkins?"

"Nope." I said and grinning, caught her hand and sucked them clean.

"You've got some on your chin." and licked that clean too.

"And some on your boob" and licked downwards till I reached her nipple and licked that too.

"Is this going to be habit of yours?"

"Is it going to be a habit of yours, dribbling jam down you?" I pushed the sheet down so I could look at her breasts.

"I think, perhaps we should get up now."

"Why? We're on our honeymoon."

"Well, we should think about Harry."

"Think what about him? He wouldn't think about me. Bugger _him_! Let him think about himself." And we dissolved into giggles. I love it when she laughs; I love her full stop.

"We have to get up. You have to fish my suitcase out of the pool and I have to see what I can salvage to wear"

We looked at each other and again the giggles took over as we remembered the stupidity of last night.

"You go to wander around in the rude?" She looked at me "Well you haven't got anything till I get your suitcase and then we have to dry things. Of course you can always wear that white thing you been trailing about in." She gave me an almighty shove and I fell off the bed. "Right my lady. You asked for it." I jumped back on the bed and grabbed her.

"Can I borrow your shirt, the greeny one with the sort of cerisey fringing; you know that one you wore Saturday?"

"Certainly not!" She was a bit taken aback.

"No, you cannot! No!" I relented a bit. "It's see through. I might lend it to you if we were on our own, but Harry's here. Or is that what you meant when you said we had to think about him." She looked shocked, I had to hide my smile, and she is so easy to take in.

"You can borrow my velvet coat, if you like."

"Have you any idea how that would look on me, like a 5 year old dressed up in her mother's clothes. TOO BIG, idiot. Have you any shirts?"

"Nope." She looked at me suspiciously. "Tee shirts?"

"Nope." She narrowed her eyes.

"How about the tee shirt you wore last night?"

"We-ell, I have worn it. I suppose so. Ummm... What sort of deal are you offering? What will you give me if I lend it to you?"

"You're joking?"

"Not at all." She looked at me doubtfully.

"What do you want?"

"I would have to think about it."

"It's only a tee shirt."

"Ahh but it is _my_ tee shirt. Of course I _could_ lend it to you and we could discuss terms later."

She did another version of that thing with her mouth sort of biting her lip but making that lovely M. I love it, and the effect it has on me.

"Would you get it for me?"

"Nope. Get it yourself"

"I haven't got anything on."

"That is the point." I leered at her. She looked at me uncertainly.

"Mmmm. Let me see. What will you give me if I get it?

"A kiss?"

"I was thinking something more."

"For getting it?"

"It's a seller's market."

"."

"Something for lending and something else for getting it."

"Done." she said and lifted her face to me. I didn't move.

"What?"

"Mmmmm. I don't think so."

"What? Sod you, I'll get it myself"

"Yeah?"

I moved fast to the door where I had dropped my tee shirt last night, went back and stood dangling it just out of her reach.

"Give it to me!"

"Manners, Kate! Give to me please!

"Give it to me please."

"What do I get?"

"Another kiss?"

"Mmmm. price has gone up."

"Oh this is ridiculous! Give it to me."

"I've got it. You want it. You can bargain with me, or you can come and get it: and there's no guarantee that you _will_ get it. I can just hold it out of your reach. Like so." I held it above my head.

"What do you want then?"

"Well... What do you think?"

"Oh! For God's sake. Are you going to lend it to me or not."

"I haven't decided. I might... I might not.

She tucked the sheet under her arms and knelt upright on the bed

"Give it to me!" I shook my head.

"Come and get it."

_"Petruchio_," she yelled.

Surprised at her calling me that, I looked at her sharply.

She was biting her lips together and I saw she had her eyes wide, wide open and they glittered: with what looked like tears. She was trying not to cry.

I let out a slow breath, then put the shirt over her head and helped her put her arms into the sleeves. She did look like a child in grownup clothes.

"It was only a game, Kate." I said.

"I thought we were going to fight again." she muttered, not looking at me."I don't want to fight with you."

I cupped her face between my hands and lifted it. She still didn't look at me. Her eyelashes were spiky with unshed tears.

"We will always fight, Kate. You and me. Fight and make up. It will be part of the fun." I said against her mouth. "But always remember this, I will never let you go."

She gave a tiny little sniff that tore into me far more than floods of tears could ever have done.

My feisty little wife.

She reached up, took hold of my ears and pulled me gently till our foreheads were resting together.

"Don't you sodding well ever forget it." she said.

We found a pair of my boxer shorts for her and a tie to keep them up and went downstairs.

When we went into the kitchen, we found that Harry had got her case out of the pool and Signora Thingy had washed out some of Kate's things and was drying them.

Harry said he had managed to book a flight this evening from Pisa.

"Now, I have to find a taxi to get me to the airport."

To my surprise, Kate said "We'll run you back, won't we, Piers?"

"It's hours and then you have to drive back." Harry protested.

"We can stay the night. You wanted to spend some time in Pisa, didn't you Piers?"

"Well, thank you."

"Now, we'll need to find somewhere to stay."

I smothered a grin as, to their astonishment, she went to the oven and got out her mobile and the foot pump.

"When you two are ready, you can sort out the car. I'll sort out the hotel."

She dialled, must have got directory enquiries and got through to somewhere. Although I must have known she spoke Italian, I was amazed at her fluency, so was Harry. When she finished her call, he said," I didn't realise you spoke Italian."

She looked surprised. "Minola? I'm half Italian? Of course I do."

Harry said slowly,"And Bianca?"

"Yes, of course." It dawned on both of us at the same time what Harry meant. Bianca had told him Lucentio was going to teach her Italian. Lied to from the start. Poor sod!

We left for Pisa about 4pm, had a meal with Harry before we took him to the airport and then drove to our hotel.

Pisa was wonderful.

Everything and nothing like I expected.

Bit like our honeymoon!

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